Coley Primary School

Coley Primary School continues to perform well, maintaining its status as a good school since its last inspection. The school fosters a warm and inclusive environment, where pupils feel valued and supported in their learning. Staff are dedicated to ensuring that all students, including those with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND), thrive academically and socially. The curriculum is well-structured to build on prior knowledge, and there are ample opportunities for pupils to engage in a range of activities that enhance their learning experiences.

Strengths

• Strong support and dedication from staff to all pupils, including those with SEND.
• Well-designed curriculum that builds on prior knowledge.
• High expectations for pupil behaviour and academic performance.
• Warm and inclusive school environment that celebrates diversity.
• Strong early years education that engages children in language and number.
• Culture of reading that fosters enthusiasm for books among pupils.
• Effective leadership with knowledgeable governors.

Areas for Improvement

• Some task designs lack precision leading to variable understanding in subjects.
• Persistent absenteeism is high.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Coley Primary School attended 94.1% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 19.0% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 0.8% of pupils at Coley Primary School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Coley Primary School had 22.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 16.7% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 15.6% of pupils at Coley Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.4% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 Coley Primary School received £7,601 and spent £7,737 for each of its 228 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £99,000 (-£437 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

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What is Coley Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Coley Primary School is Good, from an inspection in March 2024.

When was Coley Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Coley Primary School was last inspected in March 2024.

How many pupils does Coley Primary School have?

Coley Primary School has 250 pupils on roll.

What age range does Coley Primary School cover?

Coley Primary School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Coley Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 67% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Coley Primary School?

Coley Primary School is at Wolseley Street, Reading, Berkshire, RG1 6AZ.